Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin will miss at least one game with lower-body injury

Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin will not play Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Nichushkin missed the final 24-plus minutes two nights ago in a 5-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets because of the injury. Avs coach Jared Bednar said Nichuschkin won’t play against the Sabres and will be reevaluated but did note he could miss “seven to 10 days.”

The Avs had their top-10 offensive players, save for captain Gabe Landeskog, at the start of the Winnipeg game. It was the first time all season, in game No. 38. Nichushkin has 11 goals and 17 points in 21 games for Colorado this season.

He missed the first 17 games of the campaign after being suspended in May for six months and placed into Stage 3 of the NHL-NHLPA player assistance program.

The Avs recalled Oskar Olausson, a 2021 first-round pick, and he’s expected to make his season debut for the club. Olausson would be the 39th player, and the 24th forward, to appear in a game for the Avalanche this season.